Here's my rant......

I gotta tell you......this had to be the worst I've ever seen. Not being a Tiger fan certainly does not help my opinion but the "Tiger this" and "Tiger that" crap had to be the worst. I thought that Rich Lerner, from the Golf Channel, had a secret desire to get into Tiger's shorts but these guys were ridiculous. When they made the comment that "while these other guys are good, they know they have no chance against Tiger because he's so much better" made me sick.

I don't deny the fact that Tiger is an outstanding player and with his A game difficult to beat, but the media has taken it too far....almost to the point of where it's insulting to the other players. Furthermore, as an educated spectator, it's insulting to me to hear the bullsh!t they try to feed the viewers.

This is not the Tiger Tour, it's the PGA Tour and it's made up of alot more than just one guy. They way they make it sound, the other players outta just let Tiger tee it up for four rounds himself, let TV cover only him (which they do already) and give him the winners check.

Ooh, that'd be exciting. Sorry but that's my opinion.

Cardo

well put im also getting sick of turning on golf and whatching tigers every move

I am also not a big Tiger fan. But I'm here at Poipu Bay and after seeing the action live...I have to say Tiger is definitely a notch better than these guys. On Tuesday morning watching all four warm up, just the trajectory control, distance control, and the sound when Tiger hits it, is much different than the other players. The others hit it very well, but Tiger has this extra gear or feel or something where he can get extra out of his shots. Also it was amazing to see and feel the excitement in the crowd when Tiger walked on to the range....and like I said, I'm not a big Tiger fan, but he sure brings excitement to the golf course. And antoher thing, I didn't realize how skinny Tiger is, perhaps it was all the puking he did, but he is pretty slender. Vijay is a pretty big boy, and Phil needs to get on a tread mill. Just some of my thoughts here from Kauai.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

No question that seeing in person is better but when you're subjected to the sh!t that comes from the television announcers mouths, you want to turn off the volume.

The worst was when Clampett was critiquing VJ's swing, saying he should finish his swing "more like Tiger". Enough for me, channel change. That comment was ridiculous for multiple reasons. First of all, VJ is an amazing ballstriker, especially with the irons. Second, Tiger wins more than VJ due to shortgame and making more big putts, not ballstriking. And further, who the F@@@ is Bobby Clampett to rag on VJ's swing? I don't see him in the golf hall of fame.

I understand that Tiger is the best golfer in the world and mabye of all time. So that he gets more attention and praise than other pros is warranted. However, sometimes the announcers can go a little overboard and this was definately one of those times.

i despise it as well but i realize that Tiger is the man everyone wants to see. Despite this they worship Tiger while there are many other great players out there

AMEN.....my brutha

AMEN.....my brutha

I am a huge Tiger fan so i'm probably a bit bias (as bias as folks who equally dislike him).

The comment that it isn't Tiger's tour isn't really true - it actually is. It is because of Tiger that there is as much money in the tournaments as there is. It is because of Tiger's draw that the TV contracts are what they are. This has nothing to do with being a tiger fan or not, its just data. More crowds when Tiger is there, more money when Tiger is there.

VJ, Phil, Ernie - unbelievable talent. In any other era they would be the best of their time. They aren't the draw that Tiger is. They don't have the walk, the crowd affinity, the attitude to be in a different "zone".

You know what kind of nuts it takes to say "oh baby...look at this shot I just hit"? He's good enough to say that because he also says "God Stevie that sucked" all at the same time. He is what people want to see. I want to see the caring. I want to see them get pissed. I have grown to respect VJ a lot in the last 2 years but that's mostly because i've become more of a student of the game. As a pure fan, VJ sucks to watch. I LOVED watching VJ in the champions clinic. I wish more folks would get the chance to see the fun, laughing, joking side.

It is Tiger's tour. Not making a judgment on whether that's good or bad but it's a "fact". Nobody else comes near him in terms of talent, fan appeal and monetization potential for the sport.

I knew someone was going to go here with this. With all due respect...it's NOT Tiger's tour. The increase in the purses is in large part due to timing, the keen negotiation skills of teh tour's executive committee, as well as the marketing of the tour as a "product" to the networks which was in the works by Tim Finchem and staff long ago. Yes, Tiger is part of that "product" and makes that "product" very strong and very sellable but its popularity is NOT solely and purely because of El Tigre. Look at the quality and example that professional golf and golfers set vs. the antics of most of the other "thug" ridden professional sports. There is no comparison. Corporate America recognizes this and has embraced this along with the viewing public.

Furthermore, tell all those corporate sponsors, who flip the bill for each week's tournament stops, that they really don't have a tour event the weeks that "Tiger's Tour" is not in town because the PGA Tour really doesn't matter.

The long and short of it is that it takes all these guys to make a competitive arena that forms the product we love and watch on a regular basis. Because of this package's demand, everything increases. It would not be what it is if it were just one guy; instead, it would be an exhibition. Again, Tiger's is a big part of the PGA Tour and a phenomenal talent but only a part of the overall equation.

I'd have to agree with Tiger is probably the greatest that we have ever seen. Pretty much like Michael Jordan. Once in a while someone comes along that even if you do not like him, you have to say; "he's good". Having said that does not mean I'm a Tiger die hard, actually my favorite player is Fred Couples.

I will say this though, during interviews on the PGA (every PGA event), they always bring the conversation to Tiger, no matter who they are talking too. That is the most disrespectful thing I've ever seen. When you are speaking to #### (whom ever), you should be speaking to them about their game - NOT Tiger's. That is about as rude as you can get.

Maybe I was watching a different event than you guys, but Tiger absolutely smoked everyone--not just in score, but it the quality of every kind of shot. I have to think that VJ, Phil and MC came away wondering if they could really compete with Tiger these days. That was a complete beatdown, and that dicated the nature of the coverage.

No doubt he smoked the "field"......while I can't speak for MC or VJ, Phil hadn't touched a club for 5 weeks (yes, that was his choice) and it showed. He had some loose swings that caused several dropped shots and still finished second. Tiger, on the other hand, was tournament tough having played 3 or 4 weeks straight. He's also riding a wave of confidence given the successes in that stretch. No doubt, he's the top player right now and his play stood out but it was a very limited field of four which made it even more apparent.

Hifade - i think you are talking about ideals but not reality. In an ideal world it would be the overall product that includes all the guys. It isn't however. During 2003 and 2004 when Tiger struggled, Fincham was very worried about the new TV contracts because they didn't have Tiger dominance to sell. Luckilly for the tour, Tiger turned it on this year as negotiations happen this year and next.

As far as the weeks where Tiger isn't in the field...it isn't much of an event. It doesn't get anywhere close to the fan turnout or the TV coverage. Again - these are facts. Events with Tiger have 20K more people in attendance on average than events that don't have Tiger. TV ratings for events with Tiger are significantly higher than events where he isn't in the field or in contention.

Golf is a business. They talk about Tiger because that is what the vast majority of fans want to hear. They accept that a minority of the fan base dislikes Tiger and they are willing to "write that off" as a cost of doing business.

Understand where you are coming from but the data is different than the ideals you talk about. We are hardcore fans of the game - most are not. Most people want all Tiger, all the time.

I'm well aware of what reality is when it pertains to the business of marketing a product. I don't believe that just because Tiger is not in the field that it's not much of an event. Tell that to a small market event sponsor such as the John Deere Classic and the larger than normal crowds that turned out to see Michelle Wie that week in a Tigerless event.

I'm not disputing that he is at the top of golf and the largest draw. What I'm saying is that the PGA Tour has a hell of a product to sell for lots of reasons, NOT just Tiger, but he makes that pitch easier and the product more sellable.

For what it's worth, I'd go to an event 8 days a week that featured the top players but was short one Tiger. That has nothing to do with my like or dislike of him but rather my appreciation for the sport and all those who excel at that level.

Nevertheless...this is way off topic because my original rant had only to do with the way TNT "covered" the event and verbally negated the other 3 players.

Agree with you on the TV coverage. Watching is always fun but listening to grown men cover themselves in tiger-slobber has never been enjoyable. The only question I have is why they all feel the need to be either over critical or fawningly (is that a word?) obnoxious. It's not just golf either. Basketball gets Bill Walton and Billy Packer; football has the ESPN crew; and baseball gets Tim McCarver so what can you do but turn the sound down. It's TV! Has pictures! Need no talking heads all the time! Perhaps this is just the price we have to pay to watch. sigh

You should listen to the Sky Sports UK coverage. OMG! All they ever talk about is Tiger. Euan Murray should be forced off the air. It's just appauling. Ok so he is amongst the greatest players ever but we don't need to hear this constant talk of how great he is and how he will one day find a cure for all diseases. It drives me nuts!

bobby clampett and ernie johnson are the worse.how many times did billy kratzert have to correct bobby clampett!

I don't understand what you guys are expecting??? Either you watch to see TW drum the other three or watch to see someone stick it to TW. Chances are, TW is going to do more giving than receiving. Still, we watch for the possible 59, the rare upset, the funny joke, whatever. But if you are watching this event and getting high strung over the TV coverage, than really it's not worth watching at all. TW played well, but so what, the course is easy for him. The other guys chopped. When it comes down to it, it's pretty boring.

And what do you expect TV announcers to do? There are only 4 players, one is playing well, the other has flashes of magic, one can't putt to save his life, and the lucky US Open winner flared so many balls right you thought maybe some weekend hacker invaded his body.

I am so used to the mindless TW chatter on TV golf that I do not even hear it anymore, it's like the hum of some fan in the background.

And as far as the Tour being the TW tour. Of course it's not. There are a lot of great aspects to the tour that do not involve TW. They don't get much attention because obviously they do not interest the casual fan.

But economically speaking the golf industry as a whole had a peak when TW was on fire in 2000, and it's been on a slide ever since. So yes, the fat TV contracts and the rest of golf's explosive blip on the radar is in large part due to the TW effect. Anyone who thinks different is in denial and wasting valuable time hating rather than strategizing how to grow the golf industry now.

All that said, I can't stand listening to Ernie Johnson, he is the biggest sports fake on TV.

I have to agree with one 10000%. Tiger's influence on the pro game has been the driving factor to greater corporate sponsorship, greater prize money and greater interest in the game from people outside of the golf community.

With his shot making, mental toughness, personality, style and charisma Tiger is easily the most dynamic player on tour. Take Tiger off the tour and what you have is basically a pretty bland group of guys. Not that they are bad players but they just don't have anywhere near the "juice" that Tiger generates. And it's evident in the T.V. ratings. The tournaments that Tiger plays in have SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATINGS than those where he does not play.

It's Tiger that has made the game "cool" for young people and minorities. Those are two demographics that until recently haven't always been embraced by the golf community.

That may be true, but the drama the tour has been lacking for some time and used to have a bundle of it is RIVALRIES. Jack vs Arnie vs Seve vs Player vs Trevino vs Watson....the list goes on. The PGA Tour used to be full of duels, now once in a while we might catch a flash of a fight.

And as great as Tiger is for the game, it's not like the NBA and NFL are losing top athletes to golf.

first, i can't imagine watching golf without tivo. and come on folks, those fairways were huge, el tigre could hit it anywhere. he's good and he's a real good reason i have a golf interest, but it's not his tour.

and on another note, why can't tiger just swallow some pride and put some balls in a fairway. do you realize that if he just played smarter he might of had a a calendar slam. man, i just don't know why he doesn't take the driver out of the bag in majors.

I agree with you on two points. I don't have Tivo but I tape most of the golf I watch on television. One reason it to fast forward through the commericial and the second is to replay those golf swings in slow-motion.

The second point is I also don't understand why on some occaisions Tiger doesn't dial his swing down a notch or two and concentrate on making a smooth swing instead of trying to annilate every drive. That doesn't mean taking the driver out the bag but in my mind hitting the ball 310 or 320 on the fairway beats hitting it 350 in the rough.

350 in the rough is much better than 310 in the fairway. It's the difference between lob wedge and 8 iron. Tiger's not stupid. Well, at least not for long. He spent a year watching VJ kick the sh*t out of him and take his #1 ranking by bombing the driver down the right side every time.

Think about it. If a course has 12 driver holes and you bomb it 350 every time. Out of 12 holes, you probably have a green light right at the pin and a strong chance for birdie at least 6 times. Mix in the par 5s and what you see is TW and VJ looking at 6-10 makeable birdie putts a round. TW putts far better than VJ and when he is on VJ has no chance, no one has a chance. But for all the crappy putting VJ displays, look at how many top 10s he had this year. Somebody wake me up when VJ does not make a par. He is par. Look in the dictionary under the word 'par', there you will find a picture of VJ.

These guys got it made, now they only have to practice with three clubs - Driver, Lob Wedge, and Putter. Meanwhile dummies like Adam Scott are out there trying to replicate the aesthetically perfect swing which in the end produces little.

This is exactly what is wrong with golf. It's fun to watch a round here and there, but really, how exciting is watching the long bombers hit wedges all day?

Somebody alluded to TW being on the verge of a monster year, bigger than 2000. Sure, all he needs is just 2 or 3 more fairways hit per round and look out, it's 12 wins and the media getting so bored they have to get Ernie drunk and Phil gambling just to have a story.

Remember the old days of 2 - 4 irons? Seve in the trees? Trevino talking, talking, and more talking? Get drunk on Wednesday night, post a 66 on Thursday? Golf is a great game, love to play it, but every year the PGA Tour version on TV gets more and more boring.

Yes, thank God for Tivo and other digital recordings and please Martha Burk get off your a$$ and protest, I'm not interested in commercials at Augusta.